Improvement in machines for slicing cork



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN POWER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT lN MACHINES FOR SLICING CORK.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 49,299, dated August 8, 1865.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN POWER, ofBoston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented anew and Improved Gage for Quartering Cork; land I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art lo make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l represents a plan or tcp view of this invention, partly in section. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the same. taken in the plane indicated by the line .r x, Fig. 1. Fig. t is an end elevation of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

In the manufacture of cork Stoppers the cork is rst cut into strips of the requisite width and thickness for the size cork desired,V and these strips are. again cutu pinto cubical pieces, each just large enough to make one stopper. This last-named operation of cutting up the strips of cork into cubes is technically termed quartering77 corks, and it is generally performed by hand with a large and sharp knife. During this operation it is necessary to have the end of the strip of cork bear against a gage which is in the proper position to correspond to the requisite size of corks.

The gage which forms the subject-matter of this invention is made adjustable in a longitudinal and in a transverse direction, and the plug against which the end of the strip of cork bears is made adjustable and yielding in such a manner that when the main part of the gage is set a iinal adjustment can be given to the plug; and, furthermore, by having the plug yielding it is allowed to give as the knife passes through the cork, and the operation of cutting is considerably facilitated.

A represents the bed of my gage, which is made of wood or any other suitable material, and which is secured to a work-bench or on any other convenient spot in the requisite position by means of screws passing through holes a. From said bed extends an arm, B, which forms the rest or support for the strips of cork to be cut, and which is fastened to the bed by means of screws b, or in any other desirable manner. An upright abutting piece, C, which risesfrom the arm B, keeps the strip of cork in the required position, and affords a bearin g for the same and also a guide for the knife, which, on being brought down close to the outer surface of said upright, cuts the cork at the proper place and in the requisite direction.

D is the gage, whichis secured to the bedA by means of a set-screw, c. This set screw or bolt passes through a longitudinal slot, d, in the bed and through a transverse slot, e, in the gage, so that by releasing the same the gage can be adj usted in alon gitudnaland in a transverse direction.

Through the outer end of the gage passes a plug, E, which is fitted into a tubular socket, f, thatis adjustable by means of a thumb-screw,

After the gage has been adjusted roughly the final adjustment can be effected by this thumb-screw, and the gage can be readily and accurately set to suit the desired size of corks. The plug E is subjected to the action of a sprin g, h, which has atendency to press it forward until the head t' strikes the end ofthetubular socket. The object of this spring is to render the plug yielding, so that the same will give as the knife passes through the cork, and the operation of cutting the cork is materially facilitated. If the plu gis rigid, theknife binds between the upright C and the cork, and considerable force is requisite to force the same through.

By means of my gage Iam enabled to quarter cork for large and small Stoppers with equal facility, and very little time is requisite to cha-nge the position of the gage for stoppers of dii'erent sizes. 1

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The yielding adjustable plug E, in combination with the gageD, constructed andoperatin g substantially as and for the purpose described.

JOHN POWER.

Witnesses:

T. L. WAKEEIELD, S. C. HOLMES. 

